One night when I was in the presence of the Imam, his holiness expressed concern on this subject and stated: “Pilgrimage of the mausoleum of Imam Husayn (‘a) is not at all merited if it involves mistreatment and insult.”

The Foreign Minister of the Soviet Union, who delivered the reply from Gorbachev to the Imam, delivered it with a shaky hand and an uncomfortable look on his face. The translator, who was known for his fluency and rapid translations, kept stuttering when speaking to the Imam. The Imam gave a swift reply to Gorbachev, telling him that he had not read his statement well.